How long does a judge have to rule on a motion to reconsider in Illinois?

No rule sets a deadline for the judge. Some motions to reconsider are decided the day they are argued, and others wait weeks while the judge thinks it over. The 30-day deadline binds the person filing, not the court ruling on it.

Can a judge change their own ruling after 30 days have passed?

Generally no. Once 30 days pass with no motion on file, an Illinois judge loses the authority to change a final order. A narrow form of relief can reach back as far as two years, and it is rarely granted. Orders that are modifiable by nature, such as child support and parenting time, can still be changed going forward.

Does filing a motion to reconsider stop the order from taking effect?

Generally no. The order stays in force while the motion is pending, and support obligations continue to accrue and must be paid. If complying would cause serious harm, your attorney can ask the court to pause enforcement, and the court decides.

Can I file a second motion to reconsider if the first one is denied?

No. Illinois allows one post-judgment motion directed at a judgment, and if it is denied the next step is an appeal, with the appeal deadline running from the denial. That is one reason to make the motion complete and precise the first time.

How often are motions to reconsider granted in Illinois?

No published grant rate exists, and any number would be a guess. What is certain: Illinois judges grant these motions when they show one of the three recognized bases for filing them, and deny them when they read as simply a disagreement with the ruling. The strongest motions are narrow, specific, and built on the record, like the calculation error in the case above.

What is the difference between a motion to reconsider and a motion to vacate?

A motion to reconsider asks the judge to change a ruling made after both sides were heard. A motion to vacate asks the court to undo an order entered without both sides being heard, most often a default divorce judgment entered when one spouse never responded to the case. Illinois treats the two differently, with different standards and deadlines. The right label depends on how the order was entered.

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